The Interseries Duel, Nosgoroth VS Ruskbyte
by Nosgoroth
Summary: Have any of you witnessed the dialectical duel between Ruskbyte and me? This... erm... fic contains a compilation of the attacks and counterattacks both of us suffered. Suggestions accepted -review!
1. The Fanfiction Entity, Part One

**The Interseries Duel, Nosgoroth VS Ruskbyte**

**Authors: Nosgoroth and Ruskbyte (as blatantly obvious)******

**Concept: Nosgoroth******

**Beta: What beta?******

**Disclaimer**: Ahem.

**Author's Note**: If you've read Ruskbyte's stories, you'll surely recognise the title "The Well Of Shadows". And if you are a constant reviewer of this story, you will have noticed the big paragraphs that stick out in the section where the author answers the reviewers. Well, this is it. The Interseries Duel, Nosgoroth (that's me) VS Ruskbyte (that's the other one).

It started as something quite stupid and simple. I left a somewhat original review to chapter four of WoS: the first chapter of this Interseries Duel. Ruskbyte accepted the challenge and wrote a response in chapter five of WoS, then I wrote another counterattack as a review to chapter five and so it went. Now it would seem this reviewing style has become popular, and "poor" Ruskbyte is under attack from three other factions other than myself: Alquamor, Temporary Insanity and Merusa. Alas, fame is a fickle friend...

Here comes a blow-by-blow account of the war. The First Fanfiction War. My war.****

**_____________________________________________________________________**

**The Fanfiction Entity, Part One**

**_(Nosgoroth)_**

****

**_-----_(Nosgoroth) I have to admit it -I started this war. I had had my laugh with chapter five of WoS (the Well of Shadows) and I thought I would return the favour to Ruskbyte. So I reviewed like this:-----__**

****

*It's a boring day,* thought Nosgoroth, captain of the starship DementorSlayer. *Nothing to do, just sit here and wait for one of them to show up and give us work to do. It's always the same. Agh.*

"Fanfiction author entering sensor range, captain Nosgoroth!", said the Tactical officer without looking away from his panel.

Nosgoroth straightened up, snapping out of his reverie. "Shields up. On screen." An undistinguishable figure appeared on the main view screen. "Magnify." Now the figure was one of a man.

The captain rose from his chair, his frown deepening. "Is he a Harry/Hermione supporter?"

The science officer, who was actually an android, pressed some buttons and announced, "No, sir."

"Not Draco/Ginny, then, I hope..." half-muttered the captain, looking at the main view screen intently.

"No, sir. He registers as a Harry/Ginny and Ron/Hermione supporter."

Nosgoroth sighed in relief. "Thank goodness. What has he written?"

The answer was immediate. "He is currently writing 'The Well of Shadows'. His name is... Ruskbyte."

Loud gasps echoed in the bridge of the USS DementorSlayer. "Not... not the legendary Ruskbyte?" stammered the second-in-command.

"The very same," answered the android.

"Open a channel," the captain said to Tactical, his eyes still glued to the view screen. A soft sound followed his order, indicating that they were now communicating with the author.

"Fanfiction writer," Nosgoroth said to the entity. "We are aware of the quality of your work. We mean you no harm. We only want to ask you some questions."

Complete silence was the only answer the captain was given. He continued nonetheless. "What are your plans for Miss Weasley in this fic? Do you intend to kill her?" Again, silence. "What secrets do the Proteus hide? Why did you give Malfoy of all people such powers?"

The rasp voice of the Tactical officer made everyone jump. "Sir, he's powering up his weapons! He's firing evil cliffies! Brace for impact!"

"Red alert! Evasive manoeuvres!" roared Nosgoroth. The ship trembled as the entity's weapons hit it.

"He doesn't want to answer directly, eh? He wants to play dirty..." the captain muttered. He then shouted up, "Power up our own weapons! I want the you-know-what online!"

The second-in-command looked at him in surprise. "Sir? Are you sure?"

"Has everyone gone deaf?" he asked to the crewmen that were looking stricken by the suggested course of action. "Power up the damn puppy-dog-eyes!"

"Ready, sir," the Tactical officer said.

Captain Nosgoroth sat down and, a lopsided grin appearing on his face, he said, "Fire."

-----_(Nosgoroth) The puppy-dog eyes thing is something between good ol' Rusky and Wolfmoon, one of his faithful reviewers. It was an infallible way of making Ruskbyte answer anything, but he seems to have developed immunity or something. You'll see…-----_


	2. The Fanfiction Entity, Part Two

**The Interseries Duel, Nosgoroth VS Ruskbyte**

**Authors: Nosgoroth and Ruskbyte (as blatantly obvious)******

**Concept: Nosgoroth******

**Beta: What beta?******

**Disclaimer**: Ahem.

**The Fanfiction Entity, Part Two**

**_[Ruskbyte]_**

_-----(Nosgoroth) Now, I hadn't been expecting this counterattack. Ruskbyte might have felt… vulnerable? (nah…), and he decided not to let me have the last laugh.-----_

The author rocked under the barrage of puppy-dog-eyes, but his automated defence systems absorbed the bulk to attack. 

"Direct hit... minimal damage to target," reported the Tactical officer, licking his lips nervously as the author came around to make another pass. 

"Reading an energy build up," reported the android science officer, "Ruskbyte appears to be charging his primary weapons array." 

The second-in-command leapt to his feat, "Divert all power to shields!" 

"He's targeting our suspense and anticipation drive. He's firing!" yelled the Tactical officer, "Extra-evil cliffhangers in bound! Impact in five seconds!" 

The android looked up at the screen, from his post at the science station, just as the blinding flare of green light washed over the bridge, "Oh, shi--"


	3. One Cliffie To Rule Them All, Part One

**The Interseries Duel, Nosgoroth VS Ruskbyte**

**Authors: Nosgoroth and Ruskbyte (as blatantly obvious)******

**Concept: Nosgoroth******

**Beta: What beta?******

**Disclaimer**: Ahem.****

**One Cliffie To Rule Them All, Part One**

**_(Nosgoroth)_**

"I can't read the words," said Frodo Baggins, holding the object he had inherited from his uncle, Bilbo. There were words all over its surface, words that seemed to be written in fire.

"No, you can't," said the venerable wizard, looking at him from under his snowy-white eyebrows. "But I can. These are ancient elvish characters. The language is the one from SugarQuill, which I will not pronounce here. This is what it says in the Fanfiction.net Language, in a quite accurate translation.

            One cliffie to rule them all, one cliffie to find them.

            One cliffie to bring them all and in darkness bind them."

The wizard did a pause, and then continued in a conspiratorial whisper, "This is the One Cliffie that the Dark Lord lost a long time ago, along with a part of His power. He wants it very badly, but it is necessary that He doesn't get it."

Frodo sat in stunned silence, not moving; fear seemed to be extending an enormous hand, not unlike a vast dark cloud that rose in the West and was already going to devour him.

"This cliffie!" he spluttered. "How in the name of hell did it come to me, Gandalf?"

The elderly wizard frowned, his blue eyes peering confusedly at him from behind his half-moon spectacles. "Gandalf? I'm afraid that's not my name, my young friend. I am Dumbledore, Albus Dumbledore." The Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry glanced at his pocket watch. "Alas, my time is running out! If you have any questions about the issue at hand, ask them quickly."

Frodo blinked, perplexed. "W-well, I do, of course..." he stammered. "What do I do with this... One Cliffie?"

"You destroy it, of course. But the One Cliffie cannot be damaged by any conventional means. You will have to throw it into the depths of the Puppy-Dog-Eyes of Doom." He said with casual ease. "Everybody knows that."

"Uh-huh..." said Frodo, clearly unconvinced. "Who is this Dark Lord you mentioned, anyway?"

"Most wizards and witches are afraid to speak His name." Dumbledore shhok his head in disapproval. "I am not, so I say it freely. His name is Ruskbyte, and I want you to tell Him a few things when you meet Him. First, tell Him that it was a good chapter, as always. Then I want Him to know that Starfleet is patiently waiting for Nosgoroth to give them a chance to blow his spaceborne self into a dust cloud. Finally, kindly tell him to UPDATE SOON or he will feel the pain of the combined puppy-dog-eyes of Wolfmoon, Darkness, Queen of the Jungle... and Nosgoroth himself."

"Er... got it," replied Frodo, eyeing the man suspiciously.

"I wish you good luck in your quest, Frodo Baggins," said Dumbledore solemnly, saluting him. "May the Force be with you."

And, with that, Albus Dumbledore Disapparated away from Hobbiton.


	4. One Cliffie To Rule Them All, Part Two

**The Interseries Duel, Nosgoroth VS Ruskbyte**

**Authors: Nosgoroth and Ruskbyte (as blatantly obvious)******

**Concept: Nosgoroth******

**Beta: What beta?******

**Disclaimer**: Ahem.****

**One Cliffie To Rule Them All, Part Two**

**_[Ruskbyte]_**

Deep in the bowels of Moria, the Fellowship of the Cliffie were battling with a host of orcs. Without warning the ranks of the orcs parted and they crowded away, as if in fear, as something monsterous came up from behind them. 

"Ai! Ai!" wailed Legolas. "A Balrog! A Balrog is come!" 

Gimli stared with wide eyes. "Durin's Bane!" he cried, and letting his axe fall he covered his face. 

"A Balrog," muttered Dumbledore, or Gandalf, or whatever he was called, "Now I understand." He faltered and leaned heavily on his staff. "What an evil fortune! And I am already weary." 

The dark figure streaming with fire and shadow slowly approached the cowering company, a twisted long blade in its right hand, a flaming whip of many thongs in its left. 

"Over the bridge!" cried Dumbledore, or Gandalf, or whatever he was called. "Fly! This is a foe beyond any of you! I must hold the narrow way! Fly!" 

The Balrog reach the bridge, where the aged wizard stood in the middle of the span. The Balrog halted, facing him, and the shadow about it reached out like two vast wings. It raised the whip, and the thongs whined and cracked. Fire came from its nostrils, but Dumbledore, or Gandalf, or whatever he was called, stood firm. 

"You cannot pass," he said imperiously. 

The Balrog cocked a wry eyebrow at him, something of an accomplishment as it had none, and actually snickered with amusement. The fire in it seemed to die, but the darkness grew. It stepped forward on to the bridge and shook its head. 

"Why would I want to pass?" it asked with a bemused tone, although its voice rumbled like an avalanche. It drew itself up to its full great height and spread its wings from wall ot wall. "I am but a messenger for my master, the Dark Lord, Ruskbyte, of SugarQuill. I have been charged with informing you that the Dark Lord is ready for anything and everything Starfleet might have to offer. He will meet them round the Antares Maelstrom, past the moons of Nebia and just to the left of a mostly harmless planet scheduled to be demolished in order to make way for a new hyperspace bypass." 

Dumbledore, or Gandalf, or whatever he was called, seemed small and altogether alone; grey and bent, like a wizen tree before the onset of a storm. He looked across the narrow span of the bridge of Khazad-dum and asked, "Is that all?" 

The Balrog shooks its head and continued, "He also wishes you to know that he awaits the arrive of the combined puppy-dog-eyes of Wolfmoon, Darkness, Queen of the Jungle... and Nosgoroth himself with eager anticipation at his fortess by the Puppy-Dog-Eyes of Doom." 

"Is that all?" repeated Dumbledore, or Gandalf, or whatever he was called. 

With a terrible cry the Balrog leaped full upon the bridge in a single bound, its whip whirled and hissed as its red sword flamed... 


	5. One Cliffie To Rule Them All, Part Three

**The Interseries Duel, Nosgoroth VS Ruskbyte**

**Authors: Nosgoroth and Ruskbyte (as blatantly obvious)******

**Concept: Nosgoroth******

**Beta: What beta?******

**Disclaimer**: Ahem.****

**One Cliffie To Rule Them All, Part Three**

**_(Nosgoroth)_**

The aged wizard stepped back and glared at his enemy.

"Not this time!" Gandalf said. "I come prepared for this battle!"

With a flourish, he withdrew a wand from inside his sleeve. He pointed it to the burning monster, immediately assuming a battle stance.

"You should know that pointless flames like mine are the worst enemy of a Fanfiction writer! (Pun intended)" the Balrog boomed, chunks of rock falling from the ceiling, further damaging the Bridge of Khazad-dum.

"Then your Master should have been more careful choosing you as his servant!" thundered the wizard. "Because I'm sending you right where you came from -you can spite him when you arrive. Go back to the shadow! Stupefy!"

A jet of red light issued from the wand, hitting the Ancient Demon squarely in the chest. It staggered back no more than forty feet, then it regained its footing and pointed the sword towards the middle of the bridge, where the small figure of Gandalf stood.

"Your magic is useless, human! It is my master's wish to see you destroyed," he gripped his sword with both bony hands and raised it over his head, the tip of the blade cutting into the ceiling. ", so DIE!"

Durin's Bane tried to swing the sword towards the wizard, but it stayed where it was, hovering in midair. The bewildered Demon looked up, his brows so close that they looked like one.

Gandalf made a gesture with his wand and the blade fell down, cutting the Balrog in two halves. "I learned this from Ronald Weasley." The wizard smirked. Then, he turned sharply to the left side of the bridge and yelled to the apparently empty space. "I know you can hear me, Ruskbyte! Nosgoroth wants you to know that he'd rather settle for a neutral battlefield for the space battle -yours sounded like a trap. He also advises you to guard your fortress of Barad-Dur with as many orcs as you can afford, because he and his allies, Wolfmoon, Darkness and Queen of the Jungle, are on their way. It's your turn now. Make it a good one."

Sighing in relief, Gandalf urged the open-mouthed Fellowship of the Cliffie out of Moria.


	6. The Yavin IV Battle, Part One

**The Interseries Duel, Nosgoroth VS Ruskbyte**

**Authors: Nosgoroth and Ruskbyte (as blatantly obvious)******

**Concept: Nosgoroth******

**Beta: What beta?******

**Disclaimer**: Ahem.****

**The Yavin IV Battle, Part One**

**_[Ruskbyte]_**

The officers' observation desk was almost empty save for two figures standing by the massive display. The one was a hulking, black clad figure that radiated a palpable darkness that had nothing to do with his sombre fashion sense. The second figure, dressed in the grey military uniform of the Imperial Navy, moved to answer the comlink as it buzzed for attention. 

"Yes?" he asked sharply. 

"We are approaching the planet Yavin," announced a voice over the intercom, "Nosgoroth's base is on a moon on the far side. We are preparing to orbit the planet." 

The governor smiled wickedly and crowed, "Excellent!" 

One of the many admirals posted to the station entered the room and strode up to the figures. When he reached them he stood at attention until he was acknowledged and then proceeded to give his report, "Governor Ruskbyte, the fleet is ready for deployment around the..." 

"The fleet will not be deployed in this engagement," interupted Ruskbyte, "They are to remain entirely outside the system." 

"Governor?" asked the the admiral, slightly surprised. 

Ruskbyte scowled, "The Cliffie Star will take care of these rebels without any outside intervention, Admiral. The fleet will only be needed afterwards, to prevent any survivors from escaping." 

Regardless of the fact that he was outranked and treading on dangerous territory the admiral tried to insist, "Shouldn't we have at least one or two Star Destroyers as an escort? In case the rebels try to escape before we can arrive." 

"A sound suggestion," rumbled the deep voice of the looming Dark Lord of the Sith who stood at Governor Ruskbyte's shoulder. 

"But pointless," snapped Ruskbyte, "Nothing more than a waste of our resources. According to our intellegence, Nosgoroth and his allies do not have sufficient ships to evacuate their forces before our arrival. The fleet shall remain out system." 

The admiral, lacking any option, nodded and said, "Yes, Governor. As you wish."


	7. The Yavin IV Battle, Part Two

**The Interseries Duel, Nosgoroth VS Ruskbyte**

**Authors: Nosgoroth and Ruskbyte (as blatantly obvious)******

**Concept: Nosgoroth******

**Beta: What beta?******

**Disclaimer**: Ahem.****

**The Yavin IV Battle, Part Two**

**_(Nosgoroth)_**

The image on the rather rudimentary viewscreen of the bridge of the Cliffie Star shifted, showing the planet where the Rebel base was. One of the officers looked up from his instruments. "We have reached the position, sir."

The Governor smiled and whispered to himself. "Splendid. You shall pay for what you did in Khazad-Dum, Nosgoroth." He got up from his chair and ordered, "Prepare to fire on my command."

A bodiless voice echoed in the bridge of the Cliffie Star. "Not so fast, my dear rival."

Ruskbyte identified the voice immediately, as he had heard it when it had belonged to a starship captain, almost four chapters ago. "Nosgoroth." He turned to the spot where the communications officer was frantically searching for the source of the voice. "Stop fidgeting. And open a channel."

When the channel was opened, Governor Ruskbyte spoke. "Nosgoroth, you do realize that your little base is going to be mercilessly wiped out of that planet, don't you?" 'The scent of victory is a sweet one' he thought with glee.

"No, not quite," the amused voice answered. "Partly because I'm the one that's got hold of the situation. Your space station is a sitting duck for my fleet."

Ruskbyte frowned. 'He's bluffing', he thought. "Your ships are only X-Wings, and you won't hurt me with those."

One of the control panels started to beep and flash frantically. Ruskbyte spoke before any of the officers had time to do a thing. "On screen, whatever it is. Now!" The response took a few seconds, as the officers were still trying to analyze the source. "No need, sir, it's directly in our path." Indeed, the space between the Cliffie Star and Yavin IV was suddenly filled with odd-looking starships. Their engines glowed green, and they looked as oversized birds of prey.

"How the hell did you convince the Romulans to lend you their Warbirds!?" Ruskbyte now knew that Nosgoroth wasn't bluffing. Understanding that the battle was lost, he closed his eyes.

When he opened them again, he was back in South Africa. He was sitting in front of his computer and Nosgoroth's review to The Well Of Shadows, chapter eight, was being displayed on his screen. Having found new determination, he placed his hands on the keyboard and started typing a counterattack that would surely leave his sworn rival crippled.


	8. The Yavin IV Battle, Part Three

**The Interseries Duel, Nosgoroth VS Ruskbyte**

**Authors: Nosgoroth and Ruskbyte (as blatantly obvious)******

**Concept: Nosgoroth******

**Beta: What beta?******

**Disclaimer**: Ahem.****

**The Yavin IV Battle, Part Three**

**_[Ruskbyte]_**

Captain Nosgoroth of the starship DementorSlayer stood proudly on his bridge, watching with smug satisfaction as the Cliffie Star burned under a combined attack of Romulan warbirds and rebel X-Wing fighters. 

"Squad leaders, we've picked up a new group of signals," announced the tactical office, "Enemy fighters coming your way." 

Nosgoroth watched as the X-Wings peeled off from their attack of the Cliffie Star and took up escort positions around the still strafing Romulans. One of the impressive Romulan ships dived towards the station, its disruptor fire tearing up huge tracks of the station's surface. 

"Sir!" called the operations officer, "Sensors are picking up a massive warp signature approaching from behind the Cliffie Star. It must be a small fleet!" 

"Reinforcements?" asked the second in command, "Ours or theirs?" 

"Neither, sir," responded the science officer after a moment, "The readings do not match any Federation or Imperial signatures." 

Nosgoroth frowned in contemplation, "Open a channel to the approaching vessels then." 

The android science officer cocked his head to one side and then said, "Sir, they have arrived." 

"On screen," ordered Nosgoroth. 

The screen remained fixed on the image of the beseiged Cliffie Star. Laser and Ion cannon fire lit up the space surrounding it, amidst the barrages of distruptors and torpedoes from the swarming warbirds. 

Without warning a blinding beam of green light lanced out from behind the station, slicing lengthwise across one of the warbirds. Energy crackled along its edges and with a puff of escaping atmosphere the vessel split in two, cut clean through the middle with surgical precision. Before either half of the gutted warbird could drift too far apart a pair of tractor beams latched on to each halve and began drawing them in. 

"There!" shouted the excitable ensign at the helm. He was pointing at the source of the shimmering green tractor beams. 

It emerged from behind the heavily damaged Cliffie Star, with nearly two dozen identical ships accompanying it. It was a disorganized mass of conduits, bulkheads and compartments simply laid down wherever they were needed. Yet, somehow, in the chaos of its basic design, order was brought forth. A simple, elegant, perfect, precise... cube. 

The screen squealed in a burst of raw static as the comm channels were overridden as a single transmission was forced onto the display. A solitary figure stood in front of them, its skin as pale as the legendary You-Know-Who himself, but mottled and irritated from dozens of glistening machined parts grafted into its body. 

Its voice was a choir of damned souls. 

"We are the Borg. Resistance is futile. You will disarm your weapons, lower your shields and surrender your ships. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. You will adapt to service us. If you do not comply we will destroy you." 

The cyborg race know neither fear nor pain, and certainly have no sense of humour. The glimmer of amusement in the Borg's single unmodified eye _must have been a trick of the light. _

"Resistance is futile."


	9. The Yavin IV Battle, Part Four

**The Interseries Duel, Nosgoroth VS Ruskbyte**

**Authors: Nosgoroth and Ruskbyte (as blatantly obvious)******

**Concept: Nosgoroth******

**Beta: What beta?******

**Disclaimer**: Ahem.****

**The Yavin IV Battle, Part Four**

**_(Nosgoroth)_**

"Resistance is futile."

The simple sentence repeated itself over and over inside Captain Nosgoroth' head. *Damn,* he thought.

"Sir, the Warbirds send us their regards," informed the tactical officer.

"Huh?"

"They are cloaking and heading for Romulan territory at warp nine," informed ops.

The image on the screen was blood-chilling. Three warbirds were adrift, two of them sliced in half; the other twenty-one remaining were rapidly cloaking and changing course; the more than two dozen huge grey cubes stood between the Federation starship and the almost derelict Cliffie Star.

The captain stood rooted to the ground. "Helm, set a course to the Mutara Nebula," he said between gritted teeth. "Timeframe, Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan. Maximum warp."

"Course laid in," said the young officer.

"Engage already!"

The DementorSlayer streaked through space at ten times the speed of light, passing hundreds of planets, dozens of stars. Twenty-four cubes followed their wake, intending to capture the ship for assimilation.

"We have arrived to the nebula," announced the helm. Nosgoroth frowned. "There should be two vessels inside the nebula. Mr. Beta?"

The android answered calmly. "Sensors are picking up two starships. We have an ID of one of them -it's the NCC 1701-A, USS Cliffieprise."

"Hail them." The screen was replaced by the image of a Starfleet captain in an old-fashioned uniform, who looked surprised at the arrival of the unfamiliar starship. "Okay, no time for preliminaries," said Captain Nosgoroth quickly. "Captain Quirk, I need you to get out of the system, now. there's no time for explanations. Do it!"

The mechanized officer spoke up. "One minute until the Borg arrive."

"Thank you, Mr. Beta. Close the channel, and target the other vessel with our phasers."

The Cliffieprise turned slowly away from the space battle she was supposed to be in.

*Oh, come on...* thought Nosgoroth. *Faster!*

The android looked up from his console and addressed his officer with a sense of urgency. "Forty-five seconds until the Borg arrive."

Nosgoroth was shifting from one foot to the other, muttering, "Come on, Quirk..."

"Thirty seconds, Captain," said the android. He then added, "The Cliffieprise is out of the Mutara Nebula."

Nosgoroth, who had been pacing the length of the bridge, whirled about and shouted, "Helm, go through the nebula, three quarters impulse!"

The clouds of gas that formed the Mutara Nebula glowed red and blue, making the hull of the ship shine and, at the same time, darken, as the light from the nearest star was absorbed. 

Suddenly, said star disappeared from view behind the twenty-five cubical shapes that pursued the DementorSlayer.

"Fifteen seconds, Sir," announced the android. "We have cleared the nebula," the helmsman added.

Nosgoroth sat down and tapped the arm of the command chair nervously. "That's good. Mr. Barf, are you still targeting the other vessel in the nebula?"

"Aye, sir."

"Mr. Beta, what's the Borg's position?"

"They're entering the nebula now," said the artificial lifeform tonelessly.

Nosgoroth sprang up again. "Mr. Barf, fire at the vessel! Now!"

A stream of phased light issued from the Federation starship, followed by multiple photon torpedoes. The ship in the nebula exploded, or rather, imploded, taking the Borg and the whole Mutara Nebula with it. A gigantic swirl of matter took its place, the beginning of a new planet.

The crew of the USS DementorSlayer looked in awe at the sight, all except the beige-skinned officer at ops. "May I inquire, sir, what has just happened?"

Nosgoroth looked at him and smirked. "Ah, Mr. Beta, you see, that ship carried an object called the Genesis Device. It can create a planet from a large amount of matter, hence the name, Genesis."

"Large amounts of matter..." repeated the android. "Like the Mutara Nebula."

"Indeed." Nosgoroth cofirmed. "Mr. Cruncher, lay a course for the Yavin star system. I believe there's a certain fanfiction writer awaiting us there."

The young helmsman looked away from the viewscreen and introduced the heading. "Course laid in."

"Engage."


	10. The Yavin IV Battle, Part Five

**The Interseries Duel, Nosgoroth VS Ruskbyte**

**Authors: Nosgoroth and Ruskbyte (as blatantly obvious)******

**Concept: Nosgoroth******

**Beta: What beta?******

**Disclaimer**: Ahem.****

**The Yavin IV Battle, Part Five**

**_[Ruskbyte]_**

While the good ship DementorSlayer was underhandedly leading the Borg fleet to their doom, the heavily damaged Cliffie Star launched the remainder of its fighter squadrons. Tie fighters and Tie Bombers swarmed through space and rained fire down upon the now unprotected rebel base on Yavin IV. 

Princess Leia, in a state of panic unbefitting royalty, was fleeing through the jungle after their base was overrun by platoons of Stormtroopers that were shuttled to the surface. She was accompanied by the ever annoying C-3PO and half a dozen rebel soldiers. 

"Dutch," called one of the soldiers, capturing the attention of the squad's leader. 

"Vhat?" asked the hulking Austrian warrior, who seemed impossibly large to Leia and holding an impossibly large machine gun in one hand. 

The soldier, one of their trackers, swallowed and peered into the greenery of the jungle. "We're not alone." 

Before anyone could say anything, a trio of glowing red dots appeared on the man's chest, arrayed in a triangle. He glanced down just as fiery bolt of blue energy exploded from high above them and pierced straight through his chest. 

"AAAAAHH!" he cried in agony before falling dead. 

All around the remaining members of the tactical squad escorting Leia through the jungle began to open fire. They racked the jungle with machine gun and cannon fire, occasionally lobbing grenades into the bullet-tattered shrubbery. 

Inexplicably the air behind them shimmered and writhed. Without warning a pair of gleaming blades appeared out of nowhere and slashed open the back of one soldier. At the same time a telescoping spear flickered into view, swinging out in a smooth movement and neatly decapitating a certain gold plated droid. 

Threepio, whose head landed a good ten metres from the rest of him, bemoaned, "Oh dear, oh dear."


	11. The Yavin IV Battle, Part Six

**The Interseries Duel, Nosgoroth VS Ruskbyte**

**Authors: Nosgoroth and Ruskbyte (as blatantly obvious)******

**Concept: Nosgoroth******

**Beta: What beta?******

**Disclaimer**: Ahem.****

**The Yavin IV Battle, Part Six**

**_(Nosgoroth)_**

"Ruskbyte! What in the name of hell have you done?"

Nosgoroth's angry yell through the subspace communications channel managed to make two loudspeakers explode. The fanfiction writer to whom the message was addressed backed away one step to avoid the waves of accidental magic, but his frown didn't falter. However, the rest of the officers in the bridge of the Cliffie Star did falter. 

"All is permitted in love and war, my old... ahem, friend," Ruskbyte remarked with as much venom as he could muster, which wasn't that much when it came to facing extremely angered authors.

"You dare attack those defenceless people, you coward!? Isn't it me and my ship that you are after?" Nosgoroth glared at him. "Okay, I've had enough! You think you're evil? Just you wait!"

The screen changed again and Ruskbyte swallowed forcibly.

*******

The speeding Federation starship was on its way to the Yavin system, crossing the Star Wars universe almost through the core. The hurry they were in was due to the danger millions of lives were in. Thus, no crewman expected the command Nosgoroth gave.

"Tactical, fire a barrage of quantum puppy-dog-eyes towards this coordinates!" He then proceeded to punch some numbers into the small screen he had on the arm of his captain chair.

The Klingon did not utter a complaint. "Aye, sir."

Around four blue lights came from the DementorSlayer's torpedo bay at warp speed and traveled for a few seconds before disappearing from view.

*******

No more than ten minutes later, the starship dropped out of transwarp and changed to impulse, having finally arrived to the Yavin star system.

"Ensign, take us ahead," the captain said. "Nice and slow. We don't want to be detected so quickly."

As far as the Cliffie Star was concerned, they were not going to be detected, as they were separated by Yavin IV itself. However, the swarm of little TIE fighters would surely see a speeding mass of grey.

"Ops," he asked. "can you detect any life forms on the surface."

"I'm picking up Princess Leia," the android said. "And near her there's some sort of alien beast. I can't get a proper ID."

"There's no need," Nosgoroth told him. "It's the Predator. Ok, Tactical, lock on to its signal and prepare to beam it to the coordinates we talked about."

"On standby, sir."

"Good. Now, helm, take us out of hiding, but keep us within transporter range."

*******

Admiral Ruskbyte paced the bridge of the partly crippled Cliffie Star nervously. Nosgoroth had threatened to use his evilness against him and, for almost a quarter of an hour, he had been expecting a surprise attack. Finally, it came, although what surprised him was that he wasn't surprised at all.

The viewscreen flickered yet again and the bridge of the DementorSlayer filled it. The image of Fanfiction Writer Nosgoroth smiled calmly. "Greetings, Rusky. Shall we start?"

Ruskbyte looked affronted at being called Rusky. "Start what?"

Nosgoroth looked dramatically surprised. "Start what? Oh, dear! What else could it be, my old friend, but our next assault?" He made a gesture with his hand. "So you really thought I had left my base unprotected? How deceiving." In a matter of seconds, the Federation starship went from being alone among enemies to bein among enemies with a fleet of uncloaked Romulan Warbirds. "I choose my allies carefully. They don't really flee."

"Not a problem," replied Ruskbyte. "The entire fleet has been deployed. You're no match against it." As if on cue, every Imperial ship in the system, save the Cliffie Star, changed course.

Nosgoroth grinned. "I dare say that Coruscant, the Empire's capital city, has just been... attacked." He shrugged. "The Emperor just asked for reinforcements, I presume."

Ruskbyte blinked. "Was that your doing?"

"Yep, I fired some quantum puppy-dog-eyes on my way here. But that's not all." Nosgoroth looked at the Tacitical officer and nodded to him. "Here's a nice little present from the Rebel Forces. Mr. Barf, energise."

The air next to Ruskbyte crackled and shimmered, and a new figure appeared in the room. The princess' would-be nemesis, the Predator, made its presence known by decapiating a certain Sith dressed in black robes.

Nosgoroth smirked. "Check." Then he crossed his arms and watched the scene.

Vader's head (helmet and all), which had landed a good ten metres from the rest of him, managed to breathe, "Oh dear, oh dear."


	12. The Yavin IV Battle, Part Seven

**The Interseries Duel, Nosgoroth VS Ruskbyte**

**Authors: Nosgoroth and Ruskbyte (as blatantly obvious)******

**Concept: Nosgoroth******

**Beta: What beta?******

**Disclaimer**: Ahem.****

**The Yavin IV Battle, Part Seven**

**_[Ruskbyte]_**

The Predator was having a smashing good time. He had been merrily slicing apart some rebels in the jungle of Yavin IV when the DementorSlayer's transporter had materialized him onboard the bridge of the Cliffie Star. After separating Darth Vader's head (helmet and all) from the rest of him, the Predator then proceeded to merrily slice apart several dozen Stormtroopers that had been summoned by Imperial Governor Ruskbyte. 

Suffice to say the Stormtrooper were asking en mass if it was too late to get a transfer to a more serene and sedate post, like the Spice Mines of Kessel. 

"Oh dear, oh dear!" chortled the Predator, using his abilities of mimickry as he cut down the last of the Stormtroopers with his shoulder-mounted plasma caster. 

"Looks like it's your turn now, Rusky," observed Captain Nosgoroth, whose image was peering out from the viewscreen, an insufferably smug look on his face. 

The hulking form of the Predator loomed over the still form of the governor, who stood ramrod straight, glaring at Nosgoroth's image on the viewscreen. Then, much to the starship captain's surprise, the governor's harsh face twisted to match and even exceed his own smug expression. 

"Do not underestimate the power of the Cliffie," Ruskbyte said, casually waving a hand behind him and in the general direction of the Predator. Just as the alien hunter began to stab his twin wristblades towards his back, Ruskbyte unleashed a flurry of crackling black lightning. 

Turning away from the viewscreen Ruskbyte sneered disdainfully at the Predator as it struggled back to its feet. He raise both hands and leveled them at the creature, unleashing another barrage of dark energy as he said, "Your feeble skills are no match for the power of the Dark Side. My own abilities are more than sufficient to deal with this pitiful threat." 

The Predator, now resembling a roast chicken, collapsed in a smoking heap. Ruskbyte motioned carelessly and the creature's dead body was hurled across the room and out of his sight. He turned back to the viewscreen, where Nosgoroth was watching with growing apprehension. 

"Maybe you can hold off a single Predator," he said, trying to sound more confident than he was, "but I've still got a fleet of Romulan warbirds just waiting to take that technological terror you call a space station apart." 

Ruskbyte's only answer was a thin smile. 

***** 

"Sir!" came an alarmed call from the DementorSlayer's android science officer, Beta. "Sensors are detecting unusually high neutrino emissions, bearing two-three, mark two-one-seven, range thirty one hundred kilometres." 

"On screen," ordered Nosgoroth. 

The main viewscreen switched from its picture of Governor Ruskbyte, smiling in a disturbing manner, to an empty starscape. Suddenly, it was no longer empty. A wormhole exploded into view, a shimmering rainbow of swirling light. 

"Uh oh," muttered the helmsman, "I've got a bad feeling about this." 

He was proved correct when swarms of gleaming starships began emerging from the wormhole, their numbers more than making up for their diminutive size. Several large ships, cruisers, also slid out of the wormhole's mouth, escorted by dozens of the smaller fighters. 

"Visual identification confirmed," intoned Beta, "It is a Dominion fleet." 

"How many ships?" asked Nosgoroth urgently. 

"Too many for our sensors to keep track of," Beta admitted. "I would estimate somewhere between three and five thousand." 

Nosgoroth turned to his Klingon tactical officer, "Mr Barf, prepare to..." 

The captain's voice trailed off as Barf, whose full name was Barfolomew, suddenly melted into a pillar of undulating orange liquid. The tactical console, at which he had been stationed, burst into flames and sparks as the Changling infiltrator transformed into a acid-spewing Xenomorph that deftly tore apart several members of the bridge crew before even a single phaser could be drawn. With an insectile screech the creature leapt to the ceiling and disappeared into a ventilation shaft. 

Nosgoroth, who was feeling nauseous after seeing such a slaughter right before his eyes, turned back to the viewscreen. Displayed there was a slaughter almost equal to the one that had just transpired on his bridge. The Dominion fleet was ravaging the Romulans, who were trying to flee but were finding themselves trapped by a string of subspace inhibitors that prevented them from going to warp. 

"Check-" he heard Ruskbyte say over the comm channel, just as a trio of Dominion fighters rose in front of the DementorSlayer, their poleron beams visibly charging. "-and mate." 

With the tactical controls destroyed and no time to reroute to another console, Nosgoroth could only stand and watch as the enemy ships opened fire.


	13. The Yavin IV Battle, Part Eight

**The Interseries Duel, Nosgoroth VS Ruskbyte**

**Authors: Nosgoroth and Ruskbyte (as blatantly obvious)******

**Concept: Nosgoroth******

**Beta: What beta?******

**Disclaimer**: Ahem.****

**The Yavin IV Battle, Part Eight**

**_(Nosgoroth)_**

Nosgoroth closed his eyes and clenched his fists, awaiting the impemding destruction of his ship, the USS DementorSlayer. This starship had been his home for several chapters and his crewmates had become sort of his family. However, all that time, one of them had been a spy, an enemy, disguised as the Tactical officer, Mr. Barf. A few seconds ago, he had turned into an acid-spitting xenomorph, destroying half the command controls of the bridge and, more importantly, killed almost every member of the crew before he escaped through a ventilation shaft.

"Sir, I'm reading a very disturbing pattern a hundred kilometres over our portside bow."

Mr. Beta had survived the attack, being an android. The little acid that had touched him had only managed to blacken his metallic structure.

"Ellaborate, Mr. Beta. And why haven't we been hit by the Dominion?"

"They have just... stopped."

"The cause being?"

Suddenly, a very bright blue light filled the screen, making Nosgoroth cover his eyes. When it subsided, the three Dominion ships that were about to attack him were no longer there. On the viewscreen, several blue beams that appeared to be coming from behind the DementorSlayer were piercing the Dominion.

"Ah, it would seem that they arrived in time, after all," he grinned. "Mr. Beta, reroute all computer control to your console and hail the mothership."

"Aye, sir," replied the obedient android.

*******

"Report!" Ruskbyte barked to the stormtroopers that were replacing the usual bridge crew that had been slaughtered by the Predator. He wanted to know what was tearing apart his fleet of Dominion ships. Not that he cared an inch about the Jem'hadar or the others, it was that he was about to lose his tacyical advantage.

"A fleet of massive starships are entering the Yavin Star System," one of the soldiers said. "One of them is as big as the Cliffie Star; between eighty and a hundred smaller saucer-shaped ships that are more than six kilometres long have come out of the big one."

"W- what?" Ruskbyte spluttered.

"More than two hundred smaller ships are coming out of each of the saucers," continued the stormtrooper.

"You have to be kidding me," pleaded the downcast fanfiction writer.

The screen flickered from the fleeing Dominion to the bridge of the DementorSlayer. A frowning Nosgoroth stood in the middle of it, without a smug look or a smirk. "Check, again."

"Sir," announced the soldier that stood before the tactical controls. "the ships are turning towards us! They're powering up their weapons!"

Nosgoroth made a motion with his hand and the communication ended. Before they were able to process a single thought, the ninety-or-so saucers emitted a blue beam of light towards the Cliffie Star.


	14. The Yavin IV Battle, Part Nine

**The Interseries Duel, Nosgoroth VS Ruskbyte**

**Authors: Nosgoroth and Ruskbyte (as blatantly obvious)******

**Concept: Nosgoroth******

**Beta: What beta?******

**Disclaimer**: Ahem.****

**The Yavin IV Battle, Part Nine**

**_[Ruskbyte]_**

"Targeting beams active!" screamed a panicking stormtrooper, as the ninety or so City Killers locked their blinding beams of blue energy on the already heavily damaged Cliffie Star. "Energy build up! They're preparing to fire!!" 

"Calm yourself, private," said Ruskbyte, watching the main screen with interest as the alien vessels each charged their main weapon in preparation to fire. He smirked, "If I'm not very much mistaken these pathetic aliens will shortly be at our mercy." 

The stormtrooper looked at his superior officer as he if were mad and asked, "Sir?" 

Ruskbyte's smirk grew broader and he explained, "This particular alien species is only capable of making a successful attack during the month of July. As it is currently December, we have nothing to worry about." 

"They're firing!" announced the trooper manning the sensor station. 

The ninety or so beams of energy lancing towards the Cliffie Star were only an instant away when they abruptly ceased to exist. The massive alien saucers seemed to pause uncertainly, the swarms of alien fighters surrounding them were shifting about uncertainly. 

Ruskbyte smiled wickedly and pulled a cigar from the inner recesses of his uniform. Biting down on one end he nonchalantly lit the other. After a few experimental puffs he drawled in a manner not unlike Draco Malfoy, "I don't hear no fat lady." 

His wicked grin turned truly evil as he spun on a heel and barked, "Let us demonstrate to these rebels the capabilities of this fully armed and operational battlestation! Fire at will, commander!" 

*** 

Nosgoroth watched with mounting horror as the Independence Day aliens floundered helplessly in space, sitting ducks for the awakening Cliffie Star. Thin beams of green light gathered in its focusing crater and suddenly one of the City Killers exploded into a cloud of glowing white fragments. 

"That blast came from the Cliffie Star!" he exclaimed in disbelief. "That thing's operation!" 

"Sir," interupted Beta, "A large number of ships are emerging from hyperspace directly astern." 

Nosgoroth spun to face Beta and asked urgently, "What kind of ships?" 

Beta looked up from his console and said, almost apologetically, "It would appear to be the Imperial Fleet, led by the Executor." 

Nosgoroth turned back to the DementorSlayer's main viewscreen and watched as hundreds of the triangular ships appeared all throughout the Yavin system. There were Imperial star destroyers, Victory star destroyers, Interdictor star destroyers and several incredibly large Super star destroyers. 

A second City Killer exploded as the Cliffie Star fired again. This time the blast engulfed two other City Killer's which were destroyed alongside it in subsidiary explosions. Nogoroth felt a leaden weight settle in his stomach as scores of Tie fighters appeared on screen, having just launched from their star destroyers. The Imperial fighters fell upon the alien fighters like a wave as the Interdictors began to surround the City Killer fleet, cutting off their escape. 

"The alien mothership is under fire. Their communications network has been overridden by a primitive 20th century computer virus," reported Beta monotonously. As he was speaking the bridge lights and consoles began to flicker and dim. Beta observed, "Apparently the virus has spread to our own systems. Primary power is offline. Our weapons and shields are no longer functioning. We are operating on reserve power only. 

Nogoroth turned away from the viewscreen, now obscured under a layer of static and what looked like a Jolly Roger, unable to watch as the alien mothership disappeared in a wash of brilliant light, shockwaves and debris. 

"Yo-ho-ho!" declared the animated skull.


	15. The Yavin IV Battle, Part Ten

**The Interseries Duel, Nosgoroth VS Ruskbyte**

**Authors: Nosgoroth and Ruskbyte (as blatantly obvious)******

**Concept: Nosgoroth******

**Beta: What beta?******

**Disclaimer**: Ahem.****

**The Yavin IV Battle, Part Ten**

**_(Nosgoroth)_**

Captain Nosgoroth groaned. "Mr. Beta, please run Norton Antivirus and take that bloody skull off my screen."

"Aye, sir," responded the artificial officer. "Initiating scan... Scan complete. All viruses have been eliminated."

"Then why's that skull still there?" Nosgoroth pointed to the screen, where the Jolly Roger was laughing its head off.

"I'm afraid we'll have to reset the system."

The screen went black, and strange words and numbers, such as "Pentium" or "Initiating Windows", started to fill it.

"Oh, damn, come on..."

*******

Yet another blast from the Cliffie Star separated the last City Killer into what would be one hell of a jigsaw. Ruskbyte smirked with satisfaction.

"Target the DementorSlayer and fire when ready." He picked Vader's head from the floor and held it in front of him. "To be the winner or not to be the winner."

"That's the question," continued the head.

A stormtrooper turned to him. "Ion cannon ready, sir."

"Then fire."

The green beam of destruction launched at the silvery starship, but it moved away at the last second, and the beam destroyed a Super Star Destroyer that was already starting on Yavin IV.

After that, the DementorSlayer kept moving sideways, sometimes to the left, sometimes to the right, or upwards, or downwards.

"What the hell?" Another stormtrooper whispered. "Governor Ruskbyte, the enemy is performing some evasive maneouvre we know nothing about."

"Order all ships to attack," growled Ruskbyte. "And prepare ourselves for another volley."

Imperial star destroyers, Victory star destroyers, Interdictor star destroyers and several incredibly large Super star destroyers failed to hit the moving starship. The lasers and proton torpedoes that missed the DementorSlayer managed to impact against other ships, and soon the Imperial fleet was reduced to a few destroyers and less than a hundred TIEs.

Ruskbyte leaned back in his command armchair. "Hell, how does he do it?"

*******

"What in the name of both heaven and hell is wrong with our thrusters, Mr. Beta?" Nosgoroth yelled, sprawled on the floor. "And what is it with the gravity stabilizers?"

"Gravity stabilizers are offline," explained the android. "As for the thrusters, I'm afraid I can do nothing about it. The system appears to be... erm... 'unstable', according to the operating system."

Nosgoroth managed to pull himself straight and screamed, "Bill Gates, I swear that when I'm done with Ruskbyte I'll personally go back to the 21st century to finish you off!"

"You know what, Mr. Beta?" He continued, more calmly. "If subspace channels are online, transmit this program to their ships. Leet's see what they do."

"Acknowledged. Now sending and installing Microsoft Windown into their main computers."

"And now, Ruskbyte," Nosgoroth whispered smugly. "Shall your downfall begin."


	16. The Antares Maelstrom, Part One

**The Interseries Duel, Nosgoroth VS Ruskbyte**

**Authors: Nosgoroth and Ruskbyte (as blatantly obvious)******

**Concept: Nosgoroth******

**Beta: What beta?******

**Disclaimer**: Ahem.****

**The Antares Maelstrom, Part One**

**_[Ruskbyte]_**

"What is that?" 

The poor stormtrooper in charge of system operations onboard the heavily damaged Cliffie Star was currently pressed up against the bulkhead, hovering a foot off the deck. Governor Ruskbyte stood before him, one hand outstretched towards the choking officer, the other pointing askance towards the primary tactical display. 

"The... Windows... blue screen... of... death!" gasped the stormtrooper, barely able to breath around the crushing pressure against his windpipe. 

Ruskbyte's eyebrow slowly arched up to his hairline. 

"I find your lack of elaboration disturbing," he declared, clenching his fist and snuffing out his subordinate's life. With a dangerous scowl he turned back to the screen, the rest of the command crew cringing as he stalked to his command chair. 

Ruskbyte sat down and glared at the blue screen. His lips set into a thin line as he began punching commands into the console set into his armrest. "Very well then," he hissed, keying in a sequence of preset commands. "Prepare to initiate Hyperspace Fold Drive." 

"Sir? Our operating system is offline," cautioned one of the bolder stormtroopers. 

"The drive is hardwired with DOS," replied Ruskbyte, tabbing the activation command. "Unlike Windows it never broke down." 

The stormtrooper nodded his aquiecence to Ruskbyte's order, but could be heard muttering something about having only four colours, 256k of RAM and 10mb hard drives. The governor obviously overheard his grumblings and taught him to keep his mouth shut with a cautionary blast of dark lightning. 

"Drive online," came a report over the intercom. "Hyperspace fold will commence in t-minus thirty seconds." 

"Excellent," acknowledged Ruskbyte. "Prepare my shuttle. Once the fold is complete I will be transferring command to the nearest Baseship." 

*** 

"Sir," called Mr Beta, "Reading an energy source on the Cliffie Star. Pattern I've never seen before." 

Nosgoroth almost fell out of his chair in a panic, "It's not the Genesis Wave is it?" 

Beta shook his head, "Negative sir. It appears to be some form of non-linear quantum flux. It is radiating from the Cliffie Star's core and extending over a range of one million kilometres." 

"Is it dangerous?" asked Nosgoroth. 

"Unknown sir," replied Beta. 

A brilliant flash of white light washed over the bridge of the DementorSlayer as a twisting sensation throughout his body caused Nosgoroth to firmly grasp the armrests of his chair. When the light finally faded he blinked several times in an attempt to banish the spots in front of his eyes. Eventually he looked up at the viewscreen and gaped in astonishment as the scene displayed there. 

The Yavin system had completely disappeared and the starfield was overwhelmed by a nebula of vibrant red gases that flared so brilliantly it was difficult to look at. Static crackled at the edges of the screen as the sensors struggled against the detrimental effects of the nebula, but the picture was clear enough to show the Cliffie Star drifting before them. It appeared to be abandoned. 

"We appear to be in the outskirts of the Nova Madagon," reported Beta. "Primary sensors are being overloaded by the radiation emissions. Static discharge has caused our shields to suffer cascade failure." 

Nosgoroth was slightly confused, though the name of their location did sound familiar, but he couldn't place it. "What the hell is Ruskbyte playing at?" 

"Sir," called Beta, motioning at the viewscreen. There, emerging from the blanket of red that was the Nova Madagon, were five large ships. Ruskbyte recognised the design and felt a leaden weight settle in his stomach. 

"Reading multiple three passenger vehicles being launched towards us," reported Beta, who was monitoring the situation with his usual indifference. 

"Define multiple," ordered Nosgoroth, watching as swarms of saucer-shaped fighter craft emerged from the slowly rotating baseships. 

Beta tilted his head to one side and replied, "Five hundred." 

*** 

Inside one of the sleek fighters, a trio of humanoid robots sat. The two in the forward seats had their chrome armour polished to a mirror finish and unquestioningly obeyed all instructions from the golden armoured robot that sat behind them in the command chair. 

"DementorSlayer death squadron; attack," tonelessly ordered the golden centurion, his glowing red ping-pong eye bouncing back and forth with a cool sound effect. 

"By your command," replied the two silver centurions in unison. 

*** 

Standing on the bridge of the Cylon baseship he had commandeered Ruskbyte smirked as he watched hundreds of Cylon raiders bear down on the DementorSlayer. Streaks of blue laser fire lit up the blackness of space and then one of the space fighters rammed into the main hanger doors of the beseiged starship. 

"They might not be able to hit anything with their lasers," admitted Ruskbyte, smirking evilly, "but they can fly straight." 

A second Cylon raider flew through the gutted hanger doors and into the DementorSlayer's shuttlebay. Several short seconds passed after the fighter disappeared from view before the starship was rocked under a massive explosion. The raider had been packed to the brim with Solenite, a high yield explosive, and its detonation all but gutted the insides of Nosgoroth's vessel. 

Laughing wickedly Ruskbyte settled down in the chair reserved for the Cylon's Imperious Leader, his eyes gleaming in the subdued lighting as yet more Raiders commenced kamikaze runs on the now crippled starship.


	17. The Antares Maelstrom, Part Two

**The Interseries Duel, Nosgoroth VS Ruskbyte**

**Authors: Nosgoroth and Ruskbyte (as blatantly obvious)******

**Concept: Nosgoroth******

**Beta: What beta?******

**Disclaimer**: Ahem.****

**The Antares Maelstrom, Part Two**

**_(Nosgoroth)_**

"All right, that's it! No pesky aliens ram into my ship and live to tell the tale."

Nosgoroth was beyond livid. His eyes bulged and a vein on his forehead throbbed menacingly. He kept pacing up and down the rocking ship and waving his arms about.

"Please, Mr. Beta, tell me there's a star near here."

"There's a star near here," the impassive android answered mechanically.

Nosgoroth pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache coming. "I didn't mean it quite that way. Let's start again. Are there any stars in a radius of five million kilometres?"

"Affirmative, sir. The Antares II star is at one point six million kilometres from our current position."

A grin blossomed on Nosgoroth's otherwise tired face. "Splendid. How many crewmembers are still alive?"

The unoccupied helm console exploded violently when yet another Cylon kamikaze exploded in the insides of the DementorSlayer. "Only sixteen, counting ourselves."

The Captain's grin vanished immediately. "All right. Transfer all controls to the Captain's Yatch. It's time to abandon ship."

"But, sir," Mr. Beta objected. "We will be more vulnerable in the Yatch than here, even in this state."

"I don't think so."

*******

Ruskbyte was having quite a good time. Until now he had sent monstruous beings to Nosgoroth, choked officers to their death, played around as a Balrog and even attacked a starship as a space entity. It was oddly satisfying.

At the moment, Nosgoroth's ship was being shaped into a grey piece of Gruyere cheese in front of his eyes. Only creating fanfiction could be compared to playing with fanfiction characters (and authors) this way.

Suddenly, the DementorSlayer fired. It was definitely something he hadn't expected, and he was even more surprised when he saw that, according to the missile's current trajectory, it wasn't even going to pass close to the Cylon baseship.

"Anyone, project that missile's trajectory!"

The computer voice answered tonelessly, "Course projection identifies target as star Antares II."

Ruskbyte looked bewildered for a second, before allowing realisation to dawn on him. "Trilithium," he whispered as he saw the missile hit the celestial body.

The Antares star quickly collapsed inside out, turning black as the night and becoming blindingly white as a sunrise. The level twelve shockwave it generated streaked through the maelstrom at lightspeed, destroying everything it encountered.

And the DementorSlayer's Captains' Yatch was long gone.


	18. Civil War, Part One

****

The Interseries Duel, Nosgoroth VS Ruskbyte

Authors: Nosgoroth and Ruskbyte (as blatantly obvious)

****

Concept: Nosgoroth

****

Beta: What beta?

****

Disclaimer: Ahem.

****

Civil War, Part One

__

[Ruskbyte]

"That was... hot." 

Ruskbyte, supreme commander of practically every evil force in the universe was drifting in the blistering heat and radiation of the Nova Madagon. His grey Imperial Governor's uniform was charred black and crumbling into ash as he floated aimlessly amongst the glow red gases of the nebula that remained in the wake of the collapse of the Antares II star. 

Folding his arms unhappily across his chest, Ruskbyte observed the scattered atoms that were the remains of the Cylon attack force he had been commanding only minutes earlier. He frowned as he noticed, for the first time, the state of his uniform. He snapped the fingers of his left hand and in a flash of light he was fully clothed, this time in Starfleet uniform. Four golden pips gleamed brightly on his collar, proclaiming his rank as that of a captain. 

"Captain Ruskbyte," he said with a wry smile, "I like the sound of that." 

Drifting in space makes it very difficult to move about, particularly without a rocket pack of some sort, but somehow Ruskbyte managed. Spinning on a heel he turned his back to the glowing nebula and stalked away, reaching up to tap at the commbadge attached to his chest. 

"Ruskbyte to Defiant," he called after the chirp of a communications channel being opened was heard. The fact that sound cannot travel in space so technically there should not have been a chirp in the first place did not bother him. 

"Defiant here," came a brisk reply. 

Ruskbyte came to a halt and started tapping a foot on an imaginary floor. "Decloak and beam me onboard. Now." 

Before him space shimmered and twisted, eventually revealing the compact form of the starship Defiant less than a kilometre away from him. Ruskbyte smiled with satisfaction as he was enveloped in a sparkling haze of blue lights, reappearing on the bridge of Deep Space Nine's resident warship. 

"Welcome aboard, Captain," greeted the young and inexperienced commander that was sitting in the centre seat. As Ruskbyte approached the young man rose from the seat and allowed the captain to take his place. 

"Thank you, Commander NoName," replied Ruskbyte, sinking into the chair. Once he was comfortable he pressed a control on one of the side panels that flanked his seat. "This is the captain. As of now, 18:00 hours, I am assuming command of this vessel. Duty officer so note in the ship's log. By order of Starfleet Command, special order _Counter Insurgence_, the Defiant is now under the jurisdiction of Section 31." 

Closing the internal speakers and swiveling the command chair forward Ruskbyte began to give orders, "Reactivate the cloak and go to warp. We're tracking the Captain's Yacht of the USS DementorSlayer. Try to get a fix on their ion trail. Bring phaser cannons and quantum torpedoes online - we're deal a devious group here and they are to be considered armed and dangerous. Our orders are to bring them in dead or alive. The use of lethal force has been authorized." 

As the crew moved to respond, Ruskbyte settled against the back of his seat and watched with satisfaction as the Federation's pre-eminent warship readied itself for battle. This was the beauty of Section 31. He could appropriate whatever resources he saw fit in his quest to chase after Nosgoroth and the other survivors of the DementorSlayer. 

It did not matter that this was against every principal the Federation strived to up hold, he had the authority and none of the Defiant's crew were briefed in the true nature of the pursuit they were beginning. As long as he could continue to lead them on, they would assist him. Nosgoroth was about to find himself having to face down his own people. 

It was just a matter of time…

____________________

****

Captain's Log (er… I mean, Author's Note): Okay, now I'm replying. R/R!

****

Ruskbyte – How DARE you use Section 31!? Well, I also don't understand how you survived a level 12 shockwave, but anyway…

****

Ffnetjoel – So YAY!

Margot – Well, thanks! I'm pleased that you like the new layout.

****

Arianne – Well, it's easy, we just get carried away?

****

Geor-sama – Hm… glad you like it. Now that Rusky's back, we'll get going.

****

Lone Wolf – I try to limit myself to series I already know.

****

Temporary Insanity – Plot demons… you know, you might have just given me an idea…

****

Moridin Shadar – Species 8742, yes. But that's Voyager, and I haven't seen any. Tribbles? Now there's comedy! (grins)

****

Cliffjumpr13 – Whoa. Random thoughts… entertaining, yes; I should know. But not what I'm looking for. Then again…

****

Psychochick – Thanks a lot! How do you read in class? PDA? --- Hmm… Helm's Deep…

****

Alquamor – Oh, I will. Why don't you make a compilation of your battle under your penname?


End file.
